Build It, Launch It, Grow It: The 6 Steps to Tech Start‑up Success

Delivered through six dynamic 15‑minute talks, each step is led by an experienced founder or ecosystem expert who has been there, built that, and is ready to share what they wish they’d known earlier.

​Expect:

• ​Actionable frameworks

• ​Real founder stories

• ​Talent, tech, and commercial insights

• ​Honest advice (no jargon, no fluff)

• ​A room full of ambitious founders & supporters

​Perfect for:

• ​Early‑stage and pre‑idea founders

• ​Tech innovators & engineers considering the leap into entrepreneurship

• ​Investors, advisors, and ecosystem connectors

• ​Anyone curious about how start-ups really get built

​This is fast‑paced. Practical. Founders-first.

​
And 100% designed to help Oxfordshire’s next wave of start‑ups thrive.

​🔧 The 6 Steps to Tech Start‑up Success

​Step 1 — Idea & Set-Up

​From Problem to Proposition

• ​Validating your idea

• ​Early market checks

• ​Co‑founder alignment

• ​Legal setup & essentials

​Step 2 — Product & MVP

​Build Less, Learn More

• ​MVP strategy

• ​Avoiding over-engineering

• ​Rapid learning cycles

• ​Translating feedback into product decisions

​Step 3 — Customers, Traction & Go‑to‑Market

​Your First 10 Customers

• ​Finding your early adopters

• ​The first sales conversations

• ​Channels that actually work in early-stage

• ​Defining traction that investors understand

​Step 4 — People, Talent & Culture

​Building the Team Behind the Tech

• ​When and who to hire

• ​Founder vs freelance vs first employee

• ​Setting culture early

• ​Avoiding common early hiring mistakes

​Step 5 — Funding, Revenue & Runway

​Making the Numbers Work

• ​Bootstrapping, grants, angels & VC

• ​Managing cash, burn, and runway

• ​Early pricing decisions

• ​What investors really look for at each stage

​Step 6 — Scale, Systems & Exit Strategy

​From Start-up to Scale-up

• ​Operational readiness for growth

• ​Building the systems, controls and governance

• ​Founder resilience

• ​Designing your long‑term exit strategy: acquisition readiness

​By signing up to this event you agree to share your details with the OxTechWeek team. This event is part of Ox Tech Week (26-29 May 2026) - a citywide celebration of technology and innovation in Oxford, UK. If you would like to already receive occasional updates about OxTechWeek subscribe here. Please note that by signing up to this event you acknowledge that it is organised separately from the OTW team and falls solely under the responsibility and liability of the partner organisation.